Kozakura
by Spunky0ne
Summary: Ichigo receives a message after Byakuya's death, entrusting the noble's pregnant lover to his care and protection. It falls to Ichigo to protect Kuchiki Tetsuya and his child as the half-blood noble tries to pick up the pieces of the broken noble family...But is Byakuya really gone, or is there hope he may return? Bya/Tetsuya/Ichigo mpreg
1. Flight from Eden

**Kozakura**

**By Spunky0ne**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Argh! Muses are really wicked, wicked things, and mine has a very dastardly mean streak lately. I know I only planned to write one story which acknowledged Byakuya's 'death' in the manga. However...*ducks Senbonzakura's petals* as Byakuya attacks, shouting 'Spunky! You promised only ONE!'...this very sweet and poignant storyline hopped into my head, GRABBED ME BY THE THROAT, AND SAID, "WRITE ME NOW!" And because I am at the whim of that raving lunatic, I had to write this. I hope you enjoy, and that for Byakuya lovers, it continues to provide comfort. It is Ichigo/Tetsuya (my first full story of them!) and in true Spunky style, it is mpreg. Enjoy...love Spunky**

**XXXXXXXXXX**

**Chapter 1: Flight from Eden**

Tetsuya stood frozen at the top of a cliff, overlooking the bright lake and open field where he and Byakuya had trained as teens, watching the grass wave in the troubled breeze, and feeling the hard clash of arms as the Sternritter army descended on the Seireitei. His heart pounded fitfully as he sensed the snuffing out of shinigami lives that began almost on the heels of the alert.

_Should we not return to the manor, Master? _the tall, black stallion spoke into Tetsuya's roiling mind, turning a pair of sapphire eyes on the noble that looked the same as his own, _It is surely safer for you and your baby there._

Tetsuya let a hand slide down to the pronounced bump on his abdomen, thinking back to the beginning of the day.

_"You look beautiful, watashi no itoko," Byakuya said, helping him to his feet and back to the bed._

_"I look horrid," complained Tetsuya, rubbing his belly and willing the dizziness and nausea to ease, "I am pale as a ghost and expelling as much as I take in. I thought this was supposed to get easier as I progressed."_

_Byakuya climbed onto the bed and wrapped his arms around his cousin from behind._

_"It will," he assured Tetsuya as the younger man leaned back and closed his eyes, sighing in relief at the soothing flow of balancing reiatsu that flowed from his cousin's palms. He went quiet, enjoying the feel of Byakuya's soft hands touching him, and the gentle play of kisses his cousin placed on the sensitive skin on the side of his throat._

_"Ah...Byakuya-sama," he moaned, his eyelids fluttering, "That...feels so much better...but..."_

_"But what?" the clan leader whispered, smiling knowingly._

_"You know that it makes me...hungry."_

_Byakuya nodded, not mistaking his meaning, nor the light of arousal that the bonding stimulated in his pregnant cousin. He laid Tetsuya down on his back and began a long, slow exploration of the younger man's body, enjoying the tickle of his hair, the softness of his skin, the slender hands that grasped him and the sweet, enthusiastic mouth that sought his as their bodies were joined. Tetsuya groaned with relief at the slightly painful, but intensely gripping feeling of being deeply penetrated, possessed, passionately loved by his older cousin. He wrapped his legs tightly around Byakuya's thrusting hips, letting his head fall back and moaning at the rush of shivers that ran through his body as Byakuya's mouth devoured the flesh of face and throat, feasted on his biting mouth and panted puffs of warm breath against his shoulder._

_Tetsuya's head went into a dizzying spin as Byakuya panted harder and his movements became rougher and more urgent. He opened his eyes so as not to miss the glow of heady arousal in his cousin's wide, gray eyes, and the lovely look of surrender as he reached climax. Blazing heat pulsed into Tetsuya's core, filling him, burning with life, with love, with tender promise. With a beautiful cry that Byakuya hungrily devoured as it sounded, Tetsuya gave in to the throes of orgasm, writhing uncontrollably in Byakuya's arms, and releasing in long, hot pulses onto their sweating skin._

_He laid quietly afterward, watching as his cousin kissed the swollen bump, under which their progeny grew, and fed blissfully on the warm, wet remains of their lovemaking. He gave Tetsuya a look of regret as his eyes touched on the clock and read the time. Tetsuya tried to accept the fact gracefully, but sat up suddenly as Byakuya began to exit their bed. He took hold of the silken sleeve of Byakuya's yukata and earned a warm, understanding look from the clan leader._

_"Please don't go," Tetsuya whispered, feeling sick inside at his show of weakness, "Byakuya-sama..."_

_The clan leader let out a soft breath and kissed Tetsuya's lips gently._

_"I lead a division of soldiers, Tetsuya," he said quietly, "You know that I cannot abandon them, nor the protection of Soul Society when such enemies are closing in. And Soutaichou has told us that the leader of the group promised war in five days. That time has not yet elapsed."_

_"I know," said Tetsuya in a trembling voice, "But, I...Byakuya-sama, the one regret I have about being in this condition is that I cannot do the one thing that matters most to me. I live to protect you. I owe you for everything you have done for me. And now, when you need that protection the most...I..."_

_He broke off, fighting back tears and feeling the flush of shame on his cheeks for showing such fear. Byakuya took his cousin's face in his hands, and looked deeply into Tetsuya's lovely, trusting blue eyes._

_"I love you. I will come back to you. You are always in my heart, Tetsuya, and that is a protection that remains with us, even when we are apart."_

_He glanced at the clock again, then sat down on the bed and took Tetsuya's hands._

_"Tetsuya, before I go, I must prepare you...just in case..."_

_"No!" Tetsuya hissed, turning his head away to ward off the words._

_"Tetsuya, you must be prepared. I will do everything within my power to return to you as quickly as possible, but if something should happen..."_

_"N-no..." Tetsuya moaned, shaking his head._

_"Tetsuya, listen," the clan leader said, taking hold of his face and forcing him to meet his serious, gray eyes, "If you see this hell butterfly, do not hesitate. Summon Arashi and leave everything behind."_

_"B-byakuya-sama..."_

_"As much as we have acceptance, there is dissent among the subfamilies, and in my absence, they may well seek to end my line. Succession passes from me to this child. You must make sure that he or she is kept safe, no matter what happens. If you would protect me, then protect our child, Tetsuya, and protect yourself. If things go ill, go to Karakura Town and entrust yourself to Kurosaki Ichigo. In my absence, his presence is the safest place for you to be."_

_He kissed Tetsuya's lips again and brushed a tear from his eye._

_"Promise me that you will do this for me...that you will safeguard our child and help him or her to rise to leadership...to heal the rifts within our clan and to make things right again."_

_"Byakuya-sama..."_

_"Promise me, Tetsuya. Promise me, now."_

_Tetsuya shivered with doubt, but forced the words out._

_"I promise, Byakuya-sama," he whispered, "I will do as you say."_

_"Good," said the clan leader, smiling and feeding him a final kiss of parting, "I am relieved. I can turn my attention to battle and give it my full awareness, knowing that you and our baby will be in good hands. Goodbye, watashi no koi. Be safe."_

_"You as well, Byakuya-sama," Tetsuya said, hating every word._

_He couldn't look as his cousin departed the room, and fled the room once he was gone. Still in his sleeping yukata, he leapt onto Arashi's strong back and ran the stallion across the gardens. The stallion leapt nimbly over the back gate, and galloped down the forest path, emerging onto the cliff, where Tetsuya and Byakuya shared their nightly ritual of sitting beneath a sakura tree and gazing up at the lovely moon. He sat beneath the sakura tree, staring out over the lake and meadow and trying to force the worry away. He had almost convinced himself that it was just pre-birth jitters, and that everything would be all right, when the Seireitei alarms rose up in the distance. He stood, staring into the distance as the manor alarms joined the others, and the staff began a lockdown._

Tetsuya was brought out of his reverie as Arashi's voice sounded in his mind again.

_Master?_

"We have to wait here," Tetsuya said softly, "We don't want to be under lockdown if..."

"Cousin?" said a deep, quietly sarcastic voice, "Shouldn't you be back at the manor? It would be safer there for you, ne?"

"I am fine where I am, Orochi," Tetsuya answered, placing a hand on Arashi, "Shouldn't _you_ be attending to the defense of the manor?"

"But, part of defending the manor is making sure that the bearer of the heir does not wander off. It could be dangerous, Tetsuya. Who knows what could happen with so many enemies about. We could lose that mixed blood bastard in your belly...and then what?"

"Get away from me," Tetsuya warned the other man, "Go and see to your duties."

"I will," said Orochi, "And...the moment our cousin falls...should he fall...I will see to you, you half blood whore."

"You have no power over me," Tetsuya warned him, "I carry the heir. There are rules, Orochi."

"Yes, there are," sneered the other man, "which is why you were made to act as his concubine and not his spouse."

"I am well aware of why Byakuya-sama and I were not allowed to be married. And I know _you_ are aware of what his intentions are, should _anyone_ defy him and try to do harm to me or this child!"

"Peace, Cousin," Orochi said placatingly, "You are too untrusting. I may think of you as a lesser person, but you do carry the heir and that makes you a person of significance. Come back to the manor with me, so that I can personally see to your safety, myself. You wouldn't want you recklessness to cause some kind of foulness to assault you."

"The only thing that has ever 'assaulted me,' is you," Tetsuya hissed darkly, "Now, leave me be. Arashi and Re-kuhime are enough protection for me."

He inhaled sharply as a small insect fluttered into view, and both men registered the sudden decline of Byakuya's reiatsu.

The two froze, Tetsuya's widened, sapphire eyes staring into Orochi's deep black ones, and the shock of Byakuya's death leaving them reeling. Byakuya's voice whispered into Tetsuya's stunned mind, making him leap onto Arashi's back and spur the stallion into motion as Orochi drew his weapon and flash stepped after them.

They sailed down off of the cliff and over the wide lake, flash stepping down into the meadow, where Arashi turned and loosed a hail of ban kai strength ice blades at Orochi. Orochi snarled and raised his own reiatsu, loosing his weapon and watching as his huge, black armored snake curled around him, blocking the path of the ice blades, then sliding swiftly after the retreating horse and rider. Tetsuya pointed his zanpakutou straight ahead, opening a senkaimon and racing into it. Orochi's snake followed, with his master riding near his head. They closed on Tetsuya and Arashi quickly, and before they could reach the Karakura Town exit, they were forced to turn and fight.

Arashi loosed another volley of ice blades, but the black, armored snake shot through the center, bearing down on Tetsuya and catching the noble's shoulder with a sharp fang, before Tetsuya fired a heavy cyclone of water, that forced the snake away and pushed Orochi back.

Tetsuya slid down off the stallion's back, holding the wound on his shoulder, and he opened the senkaimon and tumbled through, scrambling to his feet almost as he landed. He tried to mount Arashi, but felt an odd, dizzy sensation and realized that the snake must have infused the bite wound with toxic venom.

"Shussui, Re-kuhime," he hissed, causing the zanpakutou spirit to release a soft infusion of staying reiatsu into his system.

_Let me fend them off,_ Arashi insisted as the senkaimon began to open again behind them, _You are in no condition for fighting and need to find help._

It was an odd thing, quite against Tetsuya's nature to abandon the fight, but he knew well that Arashi could handle himself and get away, and that the heir in his belly needed to be protected. He flash stepped away, with a quick admonishment to the stallion to be cautious., then he was running down a maze of darkened streets and looking for a place to conceal himself.

_I was forced out short of Urahara's shop, and in any case, he is likely involved in the fighting. I have to find someone to help me._

He heard the sounds of battle behind him and hastened away, heading towards a lighted area that bore a sign for a hospital. Tetsuya removed the gigai that Byakuya had warned him to always carry, and he slipped into it, then ran towards the hospital, his head swimming uncomfortably from the snake's poison.

_Damn...it is too strong! I c-can't..._

He heard screeching tires and turned to find that a car had come around the corner and was bearing down on him, where he stood in the roadway. He dove out of the way, but took a blow to the hip that sent him crashing to the ground.

_Kami...!_

He felt darkness closing in, and everything seemed to go hazy and quiet. He heard voices around him and felt soft touches of healing. Some part of him realized that he was being treated by humans, but he sensed that the heir's life force still resonated inside him, and relaxed somewhat, allowing himself to be taken into the hospital and placed in a bed.

"I couldn't find any sort of identification," said a female voice.

"Don't worry about that," said a male voice, "What is his condition?"

"Moderate trauma to his right hip from being hit by a car. He was lucky. No apparent breaks, just a lot of bruising. Looks like a moderate concussion, and he appeared to be suffering from some kind of illness. He was reportedly staggering before being hit. It may be illness or a toxin, so we drew blood."

"Okay, let me know when those results come back."

Tetsuya felt his consciousness slipping away and tried desperately to reach out in his mind for Arashi, but received only silence in response. He thought then, for the first time, of what the hell butterfly meant.

_If Orochi reaches me, he will kill us..._

_Byakuya-sama is..._

_No...he can't be._

_Please, no..._

_Byakuya-sama!_

Something cool and deeply soothing flooded his veins, and Tetsuya sank down into restorative sleep, grateful not to have to think anymore. He didn't care about his own fate, but only for the child who he knew must be protected carefully.

"K-kurosaki...Ichi...go," he moaned, "You must...f-find him."

"Kurosaki Ichigo?" repeated the doctor, "Make a note of that. It may help us find someone who knows him."

The voices faded into grayness, and all Tetsuya could feel was the slow beating of his heart and the rush of blood in his veins. But given how close he had come to dying at Orochi's hands, he considered himself lucky.

XXXXXXXXXX

(6 months later...after the war)

"Hey Rukia," said Ichigo, nodding as the young woman entered through his bedroom window, "What's going on?"

Rukia gave the youth a troubled look and produced a hell butterfly. She bit at her lips gently, then forced the words out.

"This...was found among Nii-sama's things. It is for you...a message...from him."

"Oh," the ginger-haired youth said, his eyes saddening at the memory of Byakuya's passing, "Okay..."

He touched the dark insect with a finger, and he and Rukia flinched and swallowed hard as Byakuya's voice rose out of the butterfly.

"_Kurosaki Ichigo, I hoped that I would not have to send this, but if it has come into your possession, you must attend carefully. There is someone of great value to me, someone who needs protection...someone I can no longer protect. His name is Kuchiki Tetsuya. He is my cousin, and he is pregnant with my child._"

"Wh-what?" mused Ichigo, "but..._he_?"

"Tetusya is special," said Rukia, her voice breaking, "Byakuya was able to impregnate him. They were not allowed to be married, but they were very much in love."

"So...Byakuya wants me to...?"

"Why don't you listen to the rest of the message?" suggested Rukia.

Ichigo nodded and indicated for the insect to continue.

_"Because he half noble and half peasant, Tetsuya has enemies within the family. And with the mixing of our blood, some have turned even against me, and have plotted against our child. If I fall in battle...If I cannot return to them, I am depending on you to help them. Yours is the strongest power I know that can protect them. The war and the unrest within my clan is slowly breaking us apart. Tetsuya will be tasked with bearing the heir, then putting the pieces of our clan back together. I am aware of how much I am asking, and I would not ask and indebt myself to you, yet again, but I know of no one else who is strong enough. So...I ask that when Tetsuya comes to you...keep him safe. Keep him well. And protect our child. Thank you, Ichigo."_

"Huh..." Ichigo mused, scratching the back of his neck, "He wants me to protect his lover?"

"Yes," said Rukia, "but there is a problem."

"Yeah?"

"Tetsuya disappeared six months ago...the day Byakuya died. No one knows where he is, Ichigo."


	2. The Jewel

**Chapter 2: The Jewel**

**(Thanks a million to everyone reading! My gratitude to reviewers Catriona 695 (Arashi has been close to Tetsuya, but has been concealing himself. He will make a move on Tetsuya's behalf soon.), Hieizz (Yup, I will be working with the younger set of characters, who usually get less attention in my stories, but also Yoruichi, Urahara and others too!), Byakuya-Renji (I am holding out a thin slice of hope. I really hope that Bya is rescued...maybe by a returned Ginrei?), RebelYeller (Aww, thanks! I did work hard to make Tetsuya fit in with the canon characters and spent a lot of time developing his abilities and zanpakutou attacks and defenses.), Love Psycho (So glad you like *noms magic cupcakes*), Firebirdever (Yeah, stupid muse loves to make me eat my words, but she does do good work...), Unknown4000 (lol, I wasn't going to write any, but it's turning out to help me work out my frustration. It beats breaking things...*giggles*), Firebirdever (Aww, thanks for trying something new!), HatefulRodeo (Thanks! No need to wait. Dive in!), Miyuko Matsuda (See, no six months...hey, is there a fic you've been waiting for for a long time? Can you jog my memory if there is because I can't seem to remember.), and Seeing Sasha (lol, I know you're not a stalker...and I do update pretty much every day! I'm glad you look forward to reading!). Enjoy the chapter! Love Spunky)**

"Good morning, Tama-san," said the nurse, smiling sweetly at the sleepily blinking, sapphire-eyed man who looked up at her from the hospital bed, "You look well today. Are you ready to get up and move around?"

The blue-eyed man nodded and accepted the dark haired, matronly woman's assistance in climbing out of bed and rising onto his unsteady legs. He rested a hand on the bed, gathering himself, then very slowly lightened his grip until all of the weight was on his legs. They still shook slightly, but he crossed the floor in careful steps, then moved out into the hallway, with the nurse at his side, chatting gaily as they made a small circuit around the building.

"You're doing much, much better, Tama-san," the nurse praised him, "Considering the troubling head injury you had, you are making a grand recovery. But Doctor Furudo is still uncertain as to why you are still not speaking to us. I mean, we all love the strong, silent type, Tama-san, dear, but I know _I_ for one, would love to hear the sweet voice that goes with that angelic face of yours."

Tama gave her a gentle smile and continued to walk with her towards the front door of the facility.

"I think we'll go outside today," the nurse went on, leading him out the entrance doors, "The garden is lovely with everything in bloom...so many flowers and the birds singing for us. Oh, and the koi pond is done and we have some really big koi in there now."

Tama's smile widened at the sight of the beautiful garden, and managed to traverse the entire trail before turning back towards the rehabilitation center.

"Keiko-san," said a male voice, "could you please look this over and give me an approval?"

"Oh, of course," said the nurse, "Wait here for a moment, Tama-san," she said, leaving the young man beside the koi pond.

Tama gazed down into the water, confused at his reflection, which didn't match the dreams he always had about himself. Although his blue eyes were correct, he was sure that his hair had been darker, that his features had been more finely carved and that his lower abdomen had borne a rounded area. He knew well that the name they called him was one that his nurse had made up to match his bright, gemlike eyes, but he couldn't understand the rest. He blinked slowly, watching the fish for a time, then looking up to watch the sakura petals float down on the breeze. He caught his breath softly as the face and voice of another man entered his mind.

_"I love you. I will come back to you. You are always in my heart, Tetsuya, and that is a protection that remains with us, even when we are apart."_

_Tetsuya_, he thought, looking down at his reflection again, _Is that my name? It felt like my name when spoken by the raven-haired man from my dreams. But I just don't know._

He was distracted out of his thoughts by a flicker of movement in the brush and the intense feeling of being watched. He returned to looking into the water, but used his peripheral vision to watch the bushes, and inhaled softly in surprise when a black, equine face poked through and looked at him through bright blue eyes like his own.

_What a beautiful horse..._

He continued to study the beast out of the corner of an eye as the horse moved cautiously about the brush, then stopped a few feet away, looking at him intently. Tama slowly raised his eyes and met the horse's, and froze there, with the two of them staring at each other.

_Tetsuya, _whispered a wispy voice in his head.

The young man came to his feet, gasping in surprise at the sound.

_What was that? _he thought, his eyes still glued to the horse.

He heard the voice again, but couldn't make out the words. The only thing clear to him was the name that the voice had called him.

_Is it that the horse is somehow speaking into my mind? Am I hearing things?_

He stiffened as the voice sounded in his mind again.

_Tetsuya!_

He strained to understand the words that followed, but had made no progress, when the nurse's footsteps approached him, and he turned his head to greet her. He was sure that she would say something about the tall black horse, but as she arrived, she only continued her chatter and started to take him by the arm to lead him back to the rehabilitation center.

"Sorry to leave you alone Tama-san. But we'll just...T-tama-san, is something wrong?"

He had stopped moving and was staring at the tall, black horse when it occurred to him.

_She does not see him? He is right in front of us and she does not see him? How can this be? Is he really there at all?_

He quivered as the wispy voice spoke to him again.

_Tetsuya! Master!_

"Oh, Tama-san, was the walking a bit too much this time? I am sorry if I pushed you too hard. Come with me. I will give you a nice long back and leg rub. I'll set you right again. I promise I will."

_Why can't she see you? _Tama wondered.

This time, the voice in his head said something more he could hear clearly.

_She is human and we are not. We are..._

"Come along now, sweet Tama-san," said the nurse, turning him away, "I'll give you that rubdown and then we'll have lunch."

Another brief flash of memory assaulted him as he walked back towards the center with the nurse.

_Easy now...I will give you a good rubdown and a well-earned treat after. That was impressive work, Arashi._

"A-arashi!" Tama gasped suddenly, startling the nurse.

"Tama-san!" she said excitedly, "Tama-san, you spoke! That is good, Tama-san! Are you remembering someone you know?"

"Arashi," he repeated, looking back at the gardens, but not seeing the tall horse.

"Who is Arashi?" the nurse asked.

"M-my...my horse."

"You have a horse," Keiko repeated, nodding, "What else can you tell me?"

He thought for a moment.

"Tet...suya," he said slowly, "My n-name is...Tetsuya...I think."

Keiko's smile was radiant.

"Tetsuya," she said, touching his face lightly, "What a lovely name. Come back inside, Tetsuya-san. We will find the doctor and work on helping you find your way home."

Tetsuya nodded and continued with the nurse towards the center, but stopped again as they passed inside.

"What is it?" asked Keiko, tilting her head slightly, "Did you remember something more?"

_"If things go ill, go to Karakura Town and entrust yourself to Kurosaki Ichigo. In my absence, his presence is the safest place for you to be."_

"Kurosaki Ichigo," he managed, "I need to find him."

"Kurosaki Ichigo," repeated the nurse, frowning, "I don't know him. I do know of a doctor named Kurosaki Isshin in Karakura Town, not far from here, Tetsuya-san. I will go to Karakura Town when my shift is over and see if he might be some relation. It is a slim chance, maybe. But I don't know anyone else to try. But I will see if this doctor knows Kurosaki Ichigo."

"Arigatou, Keiko-san," Tetsuya said, leaning wearily against her as they walked back to his room together.

XXXXXXXXXX

"I told you I am fine!" Ichigo snapped at his younger sister, "I've got other places I can go for such a minor thing."

"Don't be silly, Brother," Yuzu said sweetly, "We are right near Dad's clinic, see? He will fix that cut right up."

She looked at him quizzically.

"How did you get that cut anyway?"

"Eh...fell down," he lied, not wanting to explain about the hollow, "I told you, I'm fine. I can just..."

"That's okay, Ichi! We're here," she said, pushing him through the doorway.

She ran to the receptionist.

"Is Dad busy?" she asked excitedly, "Ichi fell and cut up his arm, see?"

"It's not that bad," Ichigo said, blushing, "but she wouldn't let up and we were close, so..."

"Not to worry, Yuzu-chan," said the receptionist, "It just so happens that Kurosaki-san had a cancellation. Go with Mika-chan and she will put you in a room."

"Thanks," said Ichigo, chuckling.

He started to follow the nurse down the hallway, but paused as a feminine voice sounded at the front desk.

"I am Iwanishi Keiko. I work at the rehabilitation center on the edge of Karakura Town. We have a patient, a young man, who was struck by a car six months ago and remembers little. He only just remembered his name and spoke it to us today. He did remember that he was looking for a Kurosaki Ichigo. I didn't know him, but I knew of Kurosaki Isshin, and I wondered..."

"I am Kurosaki Ichigo," Ichigo said, walking back to the reception desk, "You say that this guy was looking for me? He was injured six months ago?"

"Yes," said Keiko, "He was unconscious for some time. Then, he woke, but he could not walk, or even speak. He came to the rehabilitation center four months ago, and he has slowly been recovering from his injuries."

"What is his name?" asked Ichigo, hardly daring to hope.

"Well," said the nurse, smiling, "We've been calling him Tama, because of his beautiful blue eyes. But today, he said that he thinks that his name is Tetsuya."

"Tetsuya?" Ichigo repeated, "I _do _know him. We know of each other through a mutual friend and he was supposed to meet with me six months ago. I've been wondering why he never showed up. Can you take me to him now?"

"Of course. He will be so relieved to finally be able to meet someone who can answer some of his questions."

"Please, take me to him now," said Ichigo.

"Wait a minute, mister!" said Yuzu, grabbing his arm, "You are _not _going anywhere until that arm gets fixed up."

Keiko laughed and smiled at Yuzu.

"Don't worry, I will take care of your brother's injury myself. But Tetsuya-san is very anxious to find his way to you, and I do so want to see that sweet young man find his way home, you know?"

"I'm on it," said Ichigo, turning with Keiko and hurrying out the door, "We've been real worried about Tetsuya. It'll be a relief to know he's okay, and that we've found him."

XXXXXXXXXX

Tetsuya rested quietly in his bed, still thinking about the lovely black stallion he had seen in the garden.

"Arashi," he whispered, remembering.

He wondered if the horse was still outside and slipped out of his bed, then walked over to the window. He slid the window open and breathed in the fresh, evening air, feeling relief that soon he would know himself again...that he would be among friends and family who could end his confusion and set him right once more. Tetsuya startled as an equine face appeared suddenly at the window, pushing against the screen and huffing soft breath through it.

_Tetsuya..._

"Hello again, Arashi," he said, removing the screen and patting the horse's neck, "I am glad you came back. I have so many questions. I think I am hearing your thoughts. Is that right?"

Arashi nodded and stamped.

"But...except for my name, it's all a bit garbled. Maybe try one word, or just a few...until I can understand more."

_Danger!_

"You sense danger?" Tetsuya asked softly, "Where? From whom?"

He heard voices at the nurse's desk and walked to the door to his room, leaving the stallion at the window.

_Tetsuya! Tetsuya, don't!_

"I have been looking for my brother everywhere," said a male voice to the evening nurse, "I heard that you have a patient who was injured by a car six months ago. I must see him, in case the man is my brother."

"What is your brother's name?" asked the nurse.

"Tetsuya. Kuchiki Tetsuya."

"Kuchiki Tetsuya," Tetsuya repeated, frowning.

He wondered why the man's voice sent a chill through him.

_Tetsuya! Come. It is him! It is Orochi!_

"Orochi?" Tetsuya whispered, peeking out at the man.

If the sound of his voice had unnerved him, the sight of the coldly handsome, black-eyed man left Tetsuya numb with fear. He turned and fled, still not knowing why his intincts told him the man would kill him...only knowing that he was sure the man would. He ran to the window and climbed out and onto the black stallion's back.

_Hold on!_ Arashi's voice hissed in his mind as the stallion turned and broke into a gallop, fleeing the center as the lights went on in Tetsuya's room and loud voices rose up behind them. A dark form flew out the window and sent a powerful flash of blue fire after the retreating horse. Arashi ran faster as the man followed in blazing flash steps, firing more blasts that struck the trees and ground all around them.

Arashi ran into the trees, and weaved his way through them, changing direction suddenly, several times as he fought to elude their attacker. Still pursued by the other man, the stallion broke out of the trees and moved to his maximum speed, trying to outdistance the pursuing noble.

"I have you now, you half-blood whore!" Orochi snarled, launching a kido blast at Tetsuya's back.

Arashi turned, evading the blast, but shied and pulled up as a car appeared on the road and swerved to miss them. The vehicle screeched to a halt, and a ginger-haired youth tumbled out.

"Tetsuya!" he cried, "Tetsuya, it's me! It Kurosaki Ichi..."

He broke off, exploding into shinigami form as Orochi closed in and fired a kido blast at Tetsuya from point-blank range. Orochi froze as Ichigo set himself between the shinigami and his quarry.

"You know who I am," he said, frowning, "I know you do. I don't know why you're trying to hurt Kuchiki Tetsuya, but I'm not going to allow it. Back down now, or I will loose enough power to kill you."

Orochi's eyes glinted wickedly in the darkness, and his lips curled with fury, but after what Ichigo had accomplished in the war, he knew better than to challenge the youth directly. He turned his glare on Tetsuya.

"You may think that you have escaped me, Tetsuya, but let me assure you, it doesn't end here. Watch your back, Cousin."

He disappeared in a flash step, leaving Ichigo and Arashi and Tetsuya staring at each other. Keiko's voice sounded suddenly from near the stopped car.

"Oh kami! You need to breathe!" she cried, leaning over Ichigo's abandoned human body.

"Oh crap," sighed Ichigo, pulling out the memory altering device that Rukia had given him.

He held it in front of the nurse's face and activated it, making her eyes go blank for a moment. She shook her head to clear it as Ichigo slipped back into his body, and Tetsuya and Arashi backed into the shadows.

"It's okay now," said Ichigo, setting Keiko back on her feet, "Go on home."

He watched as the woman got back in her car and drove away, then turned to Tetsuya and Arashi.

"You're Tetsuya?" he asked.

Tetsuya nodded.

"And you are Kurosaki Ichigo?"

"Yeah," said Ichigo, "Rukia and me have been real worried about you. We didn't know where you were."

"Well...I am glad you found me, Ichigo-san," said Tetsuya, "I only remember my name, yours, and Arashi's. I don't understand what has happened to me."

"It's okay," said Ichigo, "I'm gonna take you to someone who can help you. But you should take off your gigai so the humans won't see you."

"Gomen nasai," said Tetsuya, blinking cutely, "Gigai?"

"Ah," chuckled Ichigo, "I see you and I have some catching up to do. Come on, Tetsuya-san. I'll take you somewhere safe."


End file.
